Stress during dental procedures is a problem for both the patient and the dentist. Many patients avoid the dental situation until they are forced to go because of their perception of the situation as stressful. This results in poor oral health. From the dentist's standpoint the difficult patient results in loss of time and unnecessary difficulty in executing necessary procedures. The proposed research is designed to lead to the development of practical techniques for reducing patient stress in dentistry and similar health related treatment procedures. At the same time the research will increase our understanding of the mechanisms involved in stress reduction in situations which include potentially aversive stimulation. Two approaches designed to reduce patient stress will be evaluated: 1) the use of relaxation instructions, and 2) the use of distraction. Two components of relaxation instructions will be evaluated -- tempo of voice and instructional content. Three approaches to distraction -- audio, audio visual and active involvement in a video game -- will be evaluated. Finally, patient self-selection of procedure will be studied. In addition, patient variables will be investigated to see if different techniques are more successful with different types of patients. Physiological and behavioral indices will be used.